வெள்ளி, 31 அக்டோபர், 2014

Colombo sniffs at emails being sent to OISL from the island

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 October 2014, 15:04 GMT]
Intelligence officers attached to the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry have given secret instructions to Internet providers in Colombo to covertly scan the emails addressed to OHCHR Investigations on Sri Lanka (OISL), a reliable source in Colombo told TamilNet on Thursday. The intelligence officers have deployed simple network packet sniffing techniques to make copies of the messages that are addressed to the OISL. A lot of messages are also being discarded, while some are allowed to proceed in order to avoid provocation, the source further said. To ensure that their messages have reached the intended destination, the people who have made submissions should request acknowledgement from the OISL, an activist who got a bounced message told TamilNet.

When people sending their submissions with sensitive information to the OISL are using an Internet connection provided by a Sri Lankan ISP it becomes very easy for the Sri Lankan military intelligence to do what is known as a “man in the middle sniffing”. The public has very limited knowledge on how to utilize encryption and VPN facilities. (The Best Free Ways to Send Encrypted Email and Secure Messages)

Those who have not deployed secure systems to deliver their submissions face security risk.

“Just imagine the danger. A former Unix Sys Admin is running the Defence Ministry. He knows, at least what /dev/null means,” a systems administrator with an ISP in the island commented. The SL Presidential Sibling Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, a US-citizen, was earlier employed as a Unix Systems Administrator in the USA.

“People are not aware of technology options such as secure VPN facilities that offer an encryption layer on top of their ISP provided connections and there has been no effort by the UN system in the island to enlighten the masses on secure ways to send their submissions to the OISL,” the IT expert further said.

In the meantime, an activist who got a bounced message from the OISL server said the end point in Geneva, a mailserver, didn’t accept attachments that were larger than 20 MB.

The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry has blocked access to several news websites in the island. TamilNet, blocked through the ISPs in Colombo in 2007, still remains inaccessible for the readers in the island. After 2009, TamilNet was subjected to repeated attacks on the Internet. The DDoS attacks coincided with UN Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva.

Just a few days ago, Internet café and photocopy operators were instructed by the SL military intelligence in Vanni to alert them if anyone were scanning or copying affidavit forms for submission to OISL.

The Sri Lankan CID in Ki’linochchi on last Saturday arrested a 57-year-old father of six, Sinnathamby Krishnarajah, from Sivapuram in Kiraagnchi who was having sample affidavit forms. Mr Krishnarajah was searching for daughter since May 2009.

The ‘Terrorist Investigation Division’ has transferred Krishnarajah to Colombo for interrogations at the notorious 4th Floor. Tamil political parties and rights activists have urged the UN to intervene to release him.

Following Krishnarajah's arrest several people who were supposed to collectively meet and prepare submissions have refrained from sending their submissions, informed sources in Vanni told TamilNet.

Chronology:

30.10.14 Colombo sniffs at emails being sent to OISL from t..

27.10.14 UN urged to secure release of arrested eyewitness ..

26.10.14 SL military steps up threats against OISL submissi..

24.10.14 Citing systematic SL intimidation, Ananthy urges m..

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More than 300 missing after massive landslide in Up-Country

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 October 2014, 23:14 GMT]
In one of the biggest landslide in the island, more than 66 Up-Country Tamil families are feared dead on Wednesday in Meeriyabedda in Badulla District in the Up Country. While official reports said 14 dead bodies were recovered, unconfirmed reports put the figure at 30. Tamil relief workers in the Up Country said more than 300 people are feared missing and there is no hope for survivors. While a section of the people have got assistance, people who have sought security at Poonagala Tamil School are yet to receive proper assistance, reports reaching Colombo said Wednesday night.

Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) was mobilising assistance to people who have moved into Koslanda Tamil Maha Viththiyaalayam, the reports from Badulla said.

66 apartments in 6 lines of houses have been completely submerged in the landslide that took place between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m.

Several school children survived the catastrophe as they had gone to schools, the reports further said. Many children have become orphaned, Tamil humanitarian workers who rushed to the plantation told TamilNet.

95% of the affected people are Upcountry Tamils employed in the tea plantations, they further said.

Waging struggle with self-respect amidst Delhi-Colombo engineering

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 2014, 21:00 GMT]
Earlier this month, re-inaugurating Colombo’s railway line to the occupied North, Mahinda Rajapaksa and the genocide line’s mastermind New Delhi, staged a ‘development’ show in Jaffna. On the same occasion, Rajapaksa also unveiled Colombo’s plans on converting the Nedun-theevu (Delft) Island off Jaffna and close to Tamil Nadu in the Palk Bay, into a Sinhala-Buddhist colony and military-commercial centre. While a leaked letter of the NPC chief minister Wigneswaran was harping on the functional unworkability of the NPC and the question of funds as well as the right over land in the province, more importance should be given to directly addressing and openly denouncing the fundamental policy line and master strategies of New Delhi, commented Tamil activists for alternative politics.

Further observations by Tamil activists for alternative politics in Eezham:

While the railway line was put to operation, Colombo came out with two major announcements: one was prohibiting ‘foreigners’ entering the former war zone without getting permission from the occupying Sinhala military and the other was restricting or prohibiting ‘foreign’ individuals from owning property in the island.

The use of the word ‘foreigner’ to sound ‘national’ is ironic to ‘Sri Lanka’, which otherwise had pawned every resources of the island to various foreign States, to sustain its genocidal agenda and existence.

But, anyone could see what is meant by the word ‘foreigner’ in the above announcements. It primarily means the Eezham Tamils in the diaspora, who in their minds still live in their home country, want to visit and invest for the real development of their people, but have ‘foreign’ passports.

New Delhi on the other hand selectively restricts the entry of diaspora Eezham Tamils into India, mostly on the ‘advice’ of Colombo, and the hundreds of thousands of Eezham Tamils living as refugees in India have no internationally recognized refugee rights or travel rights.

While the historical communication routes of Eezham Tamils with Tamil Nadu are sealed off, the direct internal communication of Eezham Tamils between the North and East is severed or underdeveloped and the diaspora is restricted in interactions, New Delhi facilitates Colombo’s railway to Jaffna and soon would help another railway to Trincomalee via Anuradhapura district.

There are clear indications that as a continuation of the Vanni War, New Delhi and Colombo now wage an undeclared joint war against both the Eezham Tamils and Tamils of Tamil Nadu. The strategy is to silence and if needed intimidate Tamil Nadu and to seal off the country of Eezham Tamils for exclusive handling between New Delhi and Colombo. Looking at the unfolding developments one need not doubt who actually engineers the structural genocide on the ground.

* * *

Colombo’s Sinhala military colonisation project on Nedun-theevu (Delft) islet was conceived ever since New Delhi became serious on the Sethu (Adam’s Bridge) canal through the Palk Bay.

To genocidal Sri Lanka, Sinhalicisation of Delft is as important as the Sinhalicisation of KKS/ Palaali and Trincomalee. What practically happens testifies that New Delhi has agreed to all the three.

A small example of a ‘survey’ conducted in Delft by a Colombo-based institution after the Vanni War would reveal the colonial mind-set with which Colombo approaches the islet.

The ‘survey’ published in 2013 as “Sustainable Development of Delft Island: An ecological, socio-economic and archaeological assessment,” was conducted with the funds of International Union for Conservation of Nature in Colombo, with the backing of Colombo’s politicians and officials, including presidential sibling Basil Rajapaksa and with the logistical facilitation of the occupying Sinhala Navy in the islet.

None of the people conducted the ‘survey’ was a local person or not even a Tamil. The long list of fauna and flora recorded in the islet comes with Sinhala names.

The simple message to Eezham Tamils is that the islet, even its environmental heritage, doesn’t belong to them and either the people living there should be prepared to become Sinhalicised subordinates or quit.

* * *

Against the backdrop of railway and Delft, comes Gotabhaya Rajapaksa visiting New Delhi and getting two naval offshore patrol vessels and other military equipment.

India has recently provided 24 L-70 guns, 24 battle-field surveillance radars, 11 USFM radars, four Indra-II radars and 10 mine-protected vehicles, among other things, in addition to training 800 to 900 Sinhala military personnel annually, media reports said.

Against whom all these supplies come unless New Delhi and Colombo are embarked on the project of a sealed genocidal experiment in the country of unarmed Eezham Tamils, is the question.

The fundamental problem actually comes neither from Colombo nor from New Delhi. It stems from the unpreparedness of Eezham Tamil politicians and activists in declaring ‘no-confidence’ in New Delhi.

Telling openly to New Delhi is a more pragmatic move in the struggle than continuing debate on the functional unworkability of 13A.

By doing so, we would at least democratically and internationally orientate our struggle to get self-respect, if a solution of self-respect is only another deception coming from New Delhi. Also by doing so, Tamils are not going to lose anything, which they may otherwise achieve by going behind New Delhi, if its agenda is all set for the annihilation of the nation of Eezham Tamils.

Tamils also need not worry about China or about India’s security concerns, other than worrying about their own existence, as the Naval Chief of genocidal Sri Lanka having decades of ‘time-tested true friendship’ with China, has now declared in New Delhi that “We will never compromise on national security of India. India's security is our security.”

* * *

Meanwhile, another section of Tamil politicians in the island and activists in the diaspora seem to be worried about Tamils ‘losing audience’ in the so-called international community, if they claim independence, if they are not prepared to prolong debate on alternative models until the genocide is complete and according to some, even if they utter the word genocide.

The line of thinking that Tamils should ‘reconcile’ to the genocide originated in abstract in the White House statement in April 2009. This found brief explanations in the utterings of Robert Blake and elucidations in the discourses of Alan Keenan of the ICG.

The US resolution in Geneva, not recognising the genocide, not relieving the concerned people from the genocidal military, not recognising any of the fundamentals related to the self-determination of Eezham Tamils and not even recognising the identity of Tamils, but buying time for engagements in ‘debate’ and completion of genocide, was just a manifestation of the original agenda.

If the so-called international community is skilful enough in giving magical touch to congenitally genocidal ‘Sri Lanka’, in making it to come out with alternative models to save such a deer and must for humanity State, then let it be proved on the ground for the nation of Eezham Tamils to consider.

It is not lack of sophistication or lack of diplomacy but guarding against folly and long deceit, if Eezham Tamils stand firmly in their demand for international investigation on genocide and demand for independence.

In fact, the precise task of Tamil politicians and activists today is to first get the rights for Tamils to talk about the genocide they experience and about the independence they need – not running away or detracting even the task of democratically fighting for the most fundamental right to speech, just because New Delhi gags or audience will be lost in the USA.

Chronology:

28.10.14 Waging struggle with self-respect amidst Delhi-Col..

23.10.14 Colombo-New Delhi fundamentalism and US twist of n..

IUCN:		Sustainable Development of Delft Island: An ecological, socio-economic and archaeological assessment
ANI:		Lankan Navy Chief allays India's fears on China, says his nation will not compromise on India's security
Daily News:		President launches Delft Island development projects
AFP:		Sri Lanka restores blood-soaked railway to Tamil heartland
Hindustan Times:		India may clear new sea route to Sri Lanka

UN urged to secure release of arrested eyewitness in Ki'linochchi

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 2014, 23:35 GMT]
57-year-old Sinnathamby Krishnarajah, who was detained by the Sri Lankan CID in Ki’linochchi on Saturday and taken to Vavuniyaa and from there to Colombo by the Sri Lankan Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) was arrested while he was copying forms from the Internet for producing affidavit about his daughter who was reported missing at the final stage, according his family. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesman Suresh Premachandran and the Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF) General Secretary Selvarajah Kajendren have urged the UN to ensure the release of the father of six from the Sri Lankan TID.

The UN should come forward to create an interim administration in the Tamil homeland to protect the civilians and eyewitnesses from the harassments of the Sri Lankan State, the TNPF said in its statement on Monday.

Mr Krishnarajah was making a few copies of an affidavit form to his relatives and friends who were still searching for their their kith and kin, informed sources said.

Mr Krishnarajah, from Sivapuram in Kiraagnchi is not a member of any political party or NGO, the family said on Monday.

The arrest of Mr Krishnarajah comes as the Sri Lankan Military Intelligence, CID and the TID have imposed strict monitoring of those attempting to make submissions to the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka.

In the meantime, Tamil Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan has urged the OISL to extend the deadline to make submissions as Colombo has intensified threats and harassment against people making submissions to OISL.

Majority of the elected Tamil councillors in the North and East have urged the OHCHR to include investigations on genocide against Eelam Tamils.

Consistent with the practice of other United Nations fact-finding bodies, the OHCHR in August said the OISL will base its findings on a “reasonable grounds to believe” standard of proof.

“There are reasonable grounds to believe that an incident or pattern of violations or crimes occurred if the OISL has obtained a reliable body of information, consistent with other information, indicating their occurrence. This standard of proof may be sufficiently high to call for judicial investigations into violations of international humanitarian and human rights law and international crimes,” according to the OISL Terms of Reference by the OHCHR published on August 01.

Keheliya Rambukwella, the spokesman of the SL government and media minister, already in June 2014 went on record warning that ‘appropriate action’ would be taken against those submitting evidence to the OISL.

Recently, the SL government banned to all foreign nationals, including the diplomats, journalists, NGO workers and the visitors from the Tamil diaspora, from visiting the North without advance permission from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence.

Chronology:

30.10.14 Colombo sniffs at emails being sent to OISL from t..

27.10.14 UN urged to secure release of arrested eyewitness ..

26.10.14 SL military steps up threats against OISL submissi..

24.10.14 Citing systematic SL intimidation, Ananthy urges m..

Tamil Nadu CM urged to form foreign policy on Eelam Tamils

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 2014, 17:16 GMT]
The Government of Tamil Nadu should come forward to take a lead in the future in representing the aspirations of Eelam Tamils in the world arena in demanding justice for the genocide committed against the Eelam Tamils, Ananthy Sasitharan, a councillor from the Northern Provincial Council, has said in an interview to TamilNet Palaka’ni during her visit to Europe in September, when she made a submission in person to the OHCHR investigation on Sri Lanka. “We urge the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to have a foreign policy with regards to Eelam Tamils,” the councillor from the Northern Provincial Council said.

“There is a sense of big animosity prevailing between the Government of India and the Eelam Tamils. Our people on the ground feel that the Indian government, which armed various Tamil groups in the beginning and created divisions among them, was also behind the total annihilation that took place in Mullaiththeevu in 2009. Look at how the Sri Lankan Government has been repeatedly and openly thanking the Indian Government for its role during the war. Knowing the Indian position, the TNA leaders who met the new Indian PM seem to have avoided taking up the issue of Indian stand on OISL investigations,” Ananthy Sasistharan, who visited Europe in September told TamilNet.

“The Tamil National Alliance issued statements in newspapers asking the people to submit their evidences to OISL. But, I am not aware of TNA’s role in organising people to submit their evidences,” the TNA councillor further said alluding that TNA leadership has not utilized its real support on the ground to mobilise people to make their submissions to the OISL.

“But, Tamil Nadu has a crucial role to play in demanding justice for the genocide committed on Eelam Tamils. We are thankful to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu State [Ms Jayalalithaa] for the resolutions passed by the State Assembly in the past. The Tamil Nadu CM should come forward to take forward a foreign policy representing the Eelam Tamils and the Tamils in Tamil Nadu.,” Ms Ananthy Sasitharan said.

“I submitted my eyewitness report to UN Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts in 2011 with an expectation of justice for the genocide affected Tamil people. But, we were disappointed as their report blamed both the parties equally,” she said.

“There were several reasons for that outcome. One of the reasons was the lack of reporting skills among the victims in delivering their submissions. The victims on the ground didn’t have adequate know-how and means to convey their message to the PoE,” the TNA councillor said.

“At the same time, the Sri Lankan government, knowing what the PoE was requesting, executed a manipulative move by creating several e-mail accounts and flooding the offices of the UN with false and exaggerated submissions that unjustly blamed the Tamil side.”

“Now, especially when the OISL is conducting its investigations, is even blocked from visiting the island, and amidst the intensified threats and harassments, there is a serious lack of activism among the victims”, Ms Sasitharan further said in her interview.

“I will be witnessing in front of the OISL in person also this time. It is important to convey the true nature of the genocidal violence, which was committed upon us in Vanni. We should place our submissions and the set our records right even though there is a risk that even this OISL investigation could fail the victims by not recognising the real crime of genocide. As a people subjected to a protracted genocide, we need to demand investigations on genocide through presenting our cases in the right context,” Ms Sasitharan said.

Not only the direct witnesses, all those who knew what was going on, should file their submissions, Ananthy Sasitharan said.

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SL military steps up threats against OISL submissions

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 2014, 09:48 GMT]
The SL military has arrested a Tamil man in Ki’linochchi, allegedly in possession of forms to be sent to the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) in Geneva on Saturday, according to reports from Vanni on Sunday. The SL Police has informed the family of Sinnathamby Krishnaraja from Ira’nai-maa-nakar in Muzhangkaavil that Mr Krisnarajah was being taken to Colombo for interrogations. As the deadline for submissions to OISL in nearing, the SL military has instructed the Internet café owners to alert them on people scanning documents for submission, a net-café owner in Ki’linochchi told TamilNet.

The SL military and police have stepped up monitoring of rights activists, politicians and journalists having outside link to identify possible witnesses to OISL.

All the telephone communications of Tamil lawyers and priests in the North and East are being tapped, informed sources said.

The family and relatives of the victim arrested by the SL military on Saturday has alerted the journalists, rights activists and politicians to help them secure the release of Mr Krisnarajah.

Chronology:

30.10.14 Colombo sniffs at emails being sent to OISL from t..

27.10.14 UN urged to secure release of arrested eyewitness ..

26.10.14 SL military steps up threats against OISL submissi..

24.10.14 Citing systematic SL intimidation, Ananthy urges m..

SL military attempts to curb Nam-Theasam Tamil monthly in North

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 2014, 23:28 GMT]
The occupying military in Jaffna and Vanni has been harassing the distributors of Ithu-Nam-Theasam monthly in recent days. Last week, a distributor of the paper was attacked at Uruththirapuram in Ki’linochchi district. The assault has come right after the distributor was interrogated at the military camp in Uruththirapuram, media sources in Jaffna said. A squad that followed him from the SL military camp assaulted him and dumped the papers into a reservoir. A systematic harassment of the distributors of the paper, which stands for the rights of Eezham Tamils, is reported also at several other locations in North.

Newspaper agents at Kugnchar-kadai in Point Pedro said they have come under repeated harassments for distributing the monthly. Similar complaints have come also from Irupaalai and Achchezhu in Jaffna, according to media sources in Jaffna.

The printing press-owners have also been harassed by the occupying military in Jaffna according to instructions coming from Palaly military base.

SL military officers visiting the printing presses in Jaffna have instructed the printer owners to immediately alert them before printing the paper, the sources further said.

A systematic programme of harassment and threats against Tamil journalists, writers and publications is being coordinated on the direct instructions from the commanders of the occupying SL military in Jaffna and Vanni.

The monthly, registered, as a newspaper in Sri Lanka, stands firm on the principles of right to self-determination of Eezham Tamils and is edited by independent writer and popular columnist A. Jothilingam.

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